The immediate past Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, is set to forfeit multi-million naira asset to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Zonal head of the anti-graft agency, Usman Imam, who made the disclosure at a press briefing in Enugu, yesterday, stated that contractors, who worked for the Okorocha Government were being screened, while the agency was working diligently to trace wherever any of the state’s funds was diverted to.
TheSun quoted Imam as said that the investigation had progressed well despite some court processes, and listed assets traced to the Okorochas on interim forfeiture to include: 16 blocks with 96 flats; eight bungalow multi-million naira estate/hotel, two schools, one shopping plaza, one supermarket complex and an ultra modern hospital, all in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.
He stated that the hospital was linked to one of the aides to the ex-governor.
“We’re working assiduously to make sure that every other asset traced and linked to illicit funds are targeted, forfeited in the interim and then to preserve the assets and subsequently ensure that they’re finally forfeited and returned for the benefit of the common person.
“In the case of Imo; it’s our hope that when ultimately these assets are forfeited; they should be returned to the victims which should be the people of Imo State. But there’re also procedures and processes. We do hope that we are able to get them forfeited; we won’t talk much, there are a lot of processes going on. We hope that very soon, we should update the public with developments about these things but the good news is that so many properties have been targeted and some are already on the interim forfeiture.
“There are a lot of other cases; we are talking to the contractors and what have you. What I’ll tell you is that if you investigate the government of eight years, it’s very tasking. It’s like you’re going to investigate every kobo that government earned and where they claim to have gone with the money.
“There’s a lot of wire transfer of monies. It’s very complicated but I think we’re up to the task; we’re not relenting. We’ll get to the root of it to prove at the end of the day that it doesn’t worth to take what belongs to all of us,” Imam stated.
